Miss Mellissa…. I was doing *so well* with keto eating last summer and dropped some weight, but all the old (bad, bad) habits started sneaking in and I’m in one heck of a pickle. Just wanted to say “thanks” for this jump-start… Hopefully this will help me remember what I’m SUPPOSED to be doing. Got a long slog ahead of me, but I have hope I can make it. Your site is so, so helpful, and I really appreciate all you do. Thank you.

On the ketogenic diet, carbohydrates are restricted and so cannot provide for all the metabolic needs of the body. Instead, fatty acids are used as the major source of fuel. These are used through fatty-acid oxidation in the cell's mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of the cell). Humans can convert some amino acids into glucose by a process called gluconeogenesis, but cannot do this by using fatty acids.[56] Since amino acids are needed to make proteins, which are essential for growth and repair of body tissues, these cannot be used only to produce glucose. This could pose a problem for the brain, since it is normally fuelled solely by glucose, and most fatty acids do not cross the blood–brain barrier. However, the liver can use long-chain fatty acids to synthesise the three ketone bodies β-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate and acetone. These ketone bodies enter the brain and partially substitute for blood glucose as a source of energy.[55]

The original therapeutic diet for paediatric epilepsy provides just enough protein for body growth and repair, and sufficient calories[Note 1] to maintain the correct weight for age and height. The classic therapeutic ketogenic diet was developed for treatment of paediatric epilepsy in the 1920s and was widely used into the next decade, but its popularity waned with the introduction of effective anticonvulsant medications. This classic ketogenic diet contains a 4:1 ratio by weight of fat to combined protein and carbohydrate. This is achieved by excluding high-carbohydrate foods such as starchy fruits and vegetables, bread, pasta, grains and sugar, while increasing the consumption of foods high in fat such as nuts, cream, and butter.[1] Most dietary fat is made of molecules called long-chain triglycerides (LCTs). However, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)—made from fatty acids with shorter carbon chains than LCTs—are more ketogenic. A variant of the classic diet known as the MCT ketogenic diet uses a form of coconut oil, which is rich in MCTs, to provide around half the calories. As less overall fat is needed in this variant of the diet, a greater proportion of carbohydrate and protein can be consumed, allowing a greater variety of food choices.[4][5]
A computer program such as KetoCalculator may be used to help generate recipes.[46] The meals often have four components: heavy whipping cream, a protein-rich food (typically meat), a fruit or vegetable and a fat such as butter, vegetable oil or mayonnaise. Only low-carbohydrate fruits and vegetables are allowed, which excludes bananas, potatoes, peas and corn. Suitable fruits are divided into two groups based on the amount of carbohydrate they contain, and vegetables are similarly divided into two groups. Foods within each of these four groups may be freely substituted to allow for variation without needing to recalculate portion sizes. For example, cooked broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and green beans are all equivalent. Fresh, canned or frozen foods are equivalent, but raw and cooked vegetables differ, and processed foods are an additional complication. Parents are required to be precise when measuring food quantities on an electronic scale accurate to 1 g. The child must eat the whole meal and cannot have extra portions; any snacks must be incorporated into the meal plan. A small amount of MCT oil may be used to help with constipation or to increase ketosis.[36]
It’s probably keto flu, make sure you’re drinking lots of water – get plenty of sodium, magnesium supplements and lite salt (potassium) are also helpful. It should only last another day or two until your body adjusts, but if you feel really bad then don’t push it or check with your doctor because something else could be wrong with you. Hope you feel better soon!
Dinner: In a small sauce pan bring 2-3 cups of water to the boil. Cook a large egg in rolling boil for 5 minutes, then transfer to ice bath (a bowl with cold water and ice cubes in it). Wash and spin dry butter lettuce, top with sliced avocado and hemp seed. Serve soft boiled egg with cherry tomatoes, butter lettuce salad and mayonnaise as dressing.
Which leads us to your personality. You need to be VERY strong willed to follow this diet. It follows very strict rules and you need to be able to commit to this. It makes it hard to eat out with friends or eat with friends in general. It’s hard to find food that fits this diet in common restaurants, but and this takes us to the next point, your health goals might be more important.
Your body is going to be like an angry child having a tantrum – IT WANTS SUGAR AND CARBS NOW, but you aren’t going to give it any are you? ARE YOU??? Just like with children, the key is to distract, distract, distract (oooh shiny!). Give it something else desirable, (bacon, cheese, etc.) even if it isn’t what it really wants. Don’t give in thinking you’ll feel better if you just eat a little bit of carbs – there is no compromising!
A typical day on a keto diet might include breakfast of fried eggs or a frittata with eggs, mushrooms, cheese and butter; lunch of chicken thighs with cabbage and olive oil; and dinner of bacon burgers with green beans and butter. The emphasis on proteins and fats also is intended to provide a feeling of fullness, which can make the eating plan easier to stick to.
Hello! I recently lost 125 lbs following a keto diet. It’s starting to creep back on. My question is, have you tried a product like Keto OS? I want to eat Keto strictly, minus one meal a week. I feel that I will maintain better this way. I don’t want to knock myself out of ketosis and take days to get back in, though. My hope was that I can go full Keto, have one meal “off” a week and follow up with Keto OS to put me right back in and stay in for another week. Thoughts? Will this work? Thank you!
I have been a long time viewer but have been drowning in graduate studies, needless to say I fully fell off the wagon! Well May 17th graduation is almost here time to get back on the wagon! I was soooo happy that you have Keto Meal Plans!! Did you have any recipes for a Keto Smoothie that meets the Keto LCHF requirements for the mornings I have to get the kids off to school & run out the door. A lot of great smoothies on the web but they usually include fruit which significantly increases the carbs… Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
hello, i am interested in trying the ketogenic diet. i have hypothyroidism and cannot seem to lose any weight no matter what i do or eat. i need to lose about 20 pounds. do you think this diet can help me to lose weight and would it be good for my low thyroid? also, i am not a very active person…i have herniated disc in my lower back and have to be careful how i move, bend, or stretch, etc. however, i can get on my indoor exercise bike and ride it for about 10 min. per day.
For patients who benefit, half achieve a seizure reduction within five days (if the diet starts with an initial fast of one to two days), three-quarters achieve a reduction within two weeks, and 90% achieve a reduction within 23 days. If the diet does not begin with a fast, the time for half of the patients to achieve an improvement is longer (two weeks) but the long-term seizure reduction rates are unaffected.[43] Parents are encouraged to persist with the diet for at least three months before any final consideration is made regarding efficacy.[9]

You want to keep your cheats to none. Be prepared, make sure you’re eating what you need to be satiated (“full”), and make sure you’re satisfied with what you’re eating. If you have to force yourself to eat something, it will never work out in the end. This is just a guideline on how you can eat on a ketogenic diet, so you’re very welcome to change up what kind of foods you eat!

Gary D. Foster, Ph.D., Holly R. Wyatt, M.D., James O. Hill, Ph.D., Brian G. McGuckin, Ed.M., Carrie Brill, B.S., B. Selma Mohammed, M.D., Ph.D., Philippe O. Szapary, M.D., Daniel J. Rader, M.D., Joel S. Edman, D.Sc., and Samuel Klein, M.D., “A Randomized Trial of a Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Obesity — NEJM,” N Engl J Med 2003; 348:2082- 2090. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa022207.
This is where we have to depart! Sorry to say but you’re on your own. You should have plenty of leftovers that are frozen, ready, and waiting! I know a lot of you out there have trouble with timing and are busy people – so making sure that some nights you make extras to freeze is important. All those leftovers you have in the freezer? Use them up! Create your own meal plan, at first using this as a guide, and then completely doing it yourself. Once you get the hang of it, it’ll be a sinch – I promise you 🙂
Could you please email me, I’m starting this diet for 2 reasons. 1 is to drop weight fast for a beach trip at the end of June, and also I want to change my lifestyle to keep the weight off and be more healthy, so it’s not going to be just a quick fix until June, then go back to the way I ate before. I know how to count the carbs, subtracting the fiber. But I am stuck on how do I know how much protein to eat, and what kind is best. I would really appreciate your help. My email is Karenwsc43@aol.com, I’m afraid I won’t be able to find this site again if you answer me here. I would really appreciate it! Thanks.

He is convinced that carbohydrate-heavy, low-fat diets are a major reason we're seeing high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and cancer. That's because a diet high in sugar can quickly raise insulin levels in the body. Over time, those spikes can lead to insulin resistance and eventually to long-term health issues like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and obesity.

It seems strange that a diet that calls for more fat can raise “good” cholesterol and lower “bad” cholesterol, but ketogenic diets are linked to just that. It may be because the lower levels of insulin that result from these diets can stop your body from making more cholesterol. That means you’re less likely to have high blood pressure, hardened arteries, heart failure, and other heart conditions.
As always with weight loss, in the end it all comes down to taking less energy in than you burn. In the UK, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey says that on average, people get about half of their energy from carbohydrates. So by cutting out the source of half of your energy from your diet – even if some of that energy is replaced by fat – you are likely to reduce your energy intake, which leads to weight loss.
While it may be new to you, the keto diet has actually been around since the 1920’s, when the Mayo Clinic reported its effectiveness for helping epilepsy (that is still the case). Since then, there’s strong evidence that the keto diet helps with weight loss as well as type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome, says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., RD, professor in the department of Human Sciences at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and co-author of The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living.
In one week my husband lost 1.5 kg because of Keto diet and recipes. Thank you for the insights and tips. I would like to have a complete recipe for meals everyday and hoping by subscribing I will receive try my mail. I will keep u posted. It takes 2 to tango. The one who wants to diet must be cooperative with the plan and execution while the other person who is preparing the food must be patient to the dieting person. Its not easy to change meals so patience is required
Hello! I recently lost 125 lbs following a keto diet. It’s starting to creep back on. My question is, have you tried a product like Keto OS? I want to eat Keto strictly, minus one meal a week. I feel that I will maintain better this way. I don’t want to knock myself out of ketosis and take days to get back in, though. My hope was that I can go full Keto, have one meal “off” a week and follow up with Keto OS to put me right back in and stay in for another week. Thoughts? Will this work? Thank you!
Question: I do not see portions indicated on the menus. If they are they, accept my apologies! For example, is the pancake recipe for one person/one meal? I hope so! Also, I’m looking at the buffalo wings. How many wings for one meal? I’m asking because, a. I might just eat them all, and b. I have a family of 4 and want to cook for everybody and need to plan accordingly.
I’m starting my third day and already down a pound! Happy to see the scale move in the right direction. Your recipes are delicious. Thank you! On a side note, I noticed your comment in one of your other blogs about the processed Atkin products. Couldn’t agree more with you. I did Atkins very successfully about 10 years ago and kept the weight off for a long time. I followed one of Dr. Atkin’s first books. Fast forward to now and here I am trying to lose again. I picked up one of the newest editions of the books and was so disappointed to see they listed those processed items in phase one. I quickly put the book back on the shelf!Your posts and recipes are very motivating and I really appreciate your work. Again, thank you!
A keto diet has shown to improve triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels most associated with arterial buildup. More specifically low-carb, high-fat diets show a dramatic increase in HDL and decrease in LDL particle concentration compared to low-fat diets.3A study in the long-term effects of a ketogenic diet shows a significant reduction in cholesterol levels, body weight, and blood glucose. Read more on keto and cholesterol >
Here are a few of the most common side effects that I come across when people first start keto. Frequently the issues relate to dehydration or lack of micronutrients (vitamins) in the body. Make sure that you’re drinking enough water (close to a gallon a day) and eating foods with good sources of micronutrients. To read more on micronutrients, click here >

Getting control of your diet is the first and most important step towards lasting health and weight loss. Low carb recipes like these will give you a good blueprint to move forward with permanent changes to the way you eat that will improve your life and health. When filled with healthy, whole foods that are low in carbs and prepared deliciously, the keto diet is an amazing way to create a lasting, positive difference in your life!

It’s probably keto flu, make sure you’re drinking lots of water – get plenty of sodium, magnesium supplements and lite salt (potassium) are also helpful. It should only last another day or two until your body adjusts, but if you feel really bad then don’t push it or check with your doctor because something else could be wrong with you. Hope you feel better soon!
Check the nutrition labels on all your products to see if they’re high in carbs. There are hidden carbs in the unlikeliest of places (like ketchup and canned soups). Try to avoid buying products with dozens of incomprehensible ingredients. Less is usually healthier.Always check the serving sizes against the carb counts. Manufacturers can sometimes recommend inconceivably small serving sizes to seemingly reduce calorie and carb numbers.
Carolyn over at All Day I Dream About Food is a diabetic who eats low carb and blogs low carb recipes. She would know a lot more about that then I would since I don’t have personal experience with it! She may even have some articles on her site – you should check it out! If you are monitoring your own blood sugar you could try this and see how you feel – just be super careful! Also, on the r/keto site there are some threads about diabetics who have gotten off their meds by going keto – which would indicate that it’s possible. If you head over just search diabetics and you should be able to get more information. Hope that helps!!!
The ketogenic diet is not a benign, holistic or natural treatment for epilepsy; as with any serious medical therapy, there may be complications.[27] These are generally less severe and less frequent than with anticonvulsant medication or surgery.[27] Common but easily treatable short-term side effects include constipation, low-grade acidosis and hypoglycaemia if there is an initial fast. Raised levels of lipids in the blood affect up to 60% of children[37] and cholesterol levels may increase by around 30%.[27] This can be treated by changes to the fat content of the diet, such as from saturated fats towards polyunsaturated fats, and, if persistent, by lowering the ketogenic ratio.[37] Supplements are necessary to counter the dietary deficiency of many micronutrients.[3]
Aude, Y., A. S, Agatston, F. Lopez-Jimenez, et al. “The National Cholesterol Education Program Diet vs a Diet Lower in Carbohydrates and Higher in Protein and Monounsaturated Fat: A Randomized Trial.” JAMA Internal Medicine 164, no. 19 (2004): 2141–46. doi: 10.1001/archinte.164.19.2141. jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/217514.

8. All brands are not created equal. Sometimes (but not always) you have to pony up for the name brand over the generic because the carbs are less – this is generally true with cream cheese for example. When buying heavy cream, go organic if you can find it because some brands use thickeners that add carbs. Buy your cheese in blocks or slices rather than in shreds – the shredded cheese is coated with food starch to avoid clumping and that adds carbs.

There are so many tricks, shortcuts, and gimmicks out there on achieving optimal ketosis – I’d suggest you don’t bother with any of that. Optimal ketosis can be accomplished through dietary nutrition alone (aka just eating food). You shouldn’t need a magic pill to do it. Just stay strict, remain vigilant, and be focused on recording what you eat (to make sure your carb and protein intake are correct).
Re-starting keto today after the holidays! My previous stint I was counting carbs until I got used to what foods had (though I may not have been 100% honest with myself) and pick/chose recipes from the internet. It seemed like so much work. I did use a few recipes from IBIH but never realized you had compiled meal plans and shopping lists till my friend mentioned it yesterday! I’m excited to rely on your menu plans for the new year – thanks! (only catch is my husband refuses to eat chili so I may have to substitute for that meal…)
Started the kickstart yesterday and stuck to it all day. Was so easy and the dishes were good! I did bacon and eggs, tuna with Romaine, buffalo chicken…even made the mousse! I dont want to use bottled dressings so I made this one…. the BEST! https://lowcarbyum.com/creamy-blue-cheese-dressing/ I already hit ketosis this morning! I have been trying to cut down on carbs for the last month or more so maybe that’s why I hit it so quickly. Im excited to stick with this! Thank you for the recipes and the humor!
A survey in 2005 of 88 paediatric neurologists in the US found that 36% regularly prescribed the diet after three or more drugs had failed; 24% occasionally prescribed the diet as a last resort; 24% had only prescribed the diet in a few rare cases; and 16% had never prescribed the diet. There are several possible explanations for this gap between evidence and clinical practice.[33] One major factor may be the lack of adequately trained dietitians, who are needed to administer a ketogenic diet programme.[30]
On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat, burning fat 24-7. When insulin levels become very low, fat burning can increase dramatically. It becomes easier to access your fat stores to burn them off. This is great if you’re trying to lose weight, but there are also other less obvious benefits, such as less hunger and a steady supply of energy. This may help keep you alert and focused.